Adjusting collar arrangement, especially for a boring bar

ABSTRACT

An adjusting collar arrangement for mounting on a boring bar or the like to effect fine adjustment of the boring bar. The collar has a part which is fixedly clamped to the boring bar and another part threaded thereon with a fine thread which abuts the support for the boring bar so that by loosening the boring bar in its support, the threaded part of the adjusting collar can be rotated and thereby effect fine axial adjustment of the boring bar.

United States Patent Heaton et al. a

[54] ADJUSTING COLLAR ARRANGEMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR A BORING BAR [72]Inventors: James W. Heaton, Greensburg; William C. Eversole; Ernest J.Friedline, both of Latrobe, all of Pa.

[73] Assignee: Kennametal Inc.,

[22] Filed: June 22, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 47,947

Latrobe, Pa.

521 user. ..408/146, 408/186, 82/36 511 Int.Cl. ..B23b 29/02 58FieldofSearch ..408/l86,197,199,238,146,

[56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,125,903 3/1964 Briney,Jr. et al. ..408/1 51 [451 Sept. 12, 1972 Sweeny ..408/ 197 X Vogel, Sr.et al ..408/1 46 Primary Examiner-Gil Weidenfeld Attorney-Melvin A.Crosby [5 7] ABSTRACT An adjusting collar arrangement for mounting on aboring bar or the like to effect fine adjustment of the boring bar. Thecollar has a part which is fixedly clamped to the boring bar and anotherpart threaded thereon with a fine thread which abuts the support for theboring bar so that by loosening the boring bar in its support, thethreaded part of the adjusting collar can be rotated and thereby effectfine axial adjustment of the boring bar.

-4 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures Patented Sept. 12, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 1WUJJM C. EVERSOLE ERNEST J. FRIGDUNE Patented Sept. 12, 1972 1'3,690,783

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-7 H8 I F|G-8 &

FIG-l2 nwsmons JAMES w. HERTON WILLIRM C. EVERSOLG BY ERNEST a. meouueADJUSTING COLLAR ARRANGEMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR A BORING BAR I The presentinvention relates to an adjusting collar, especially for a boring bar orthe like and, in particular, relates to an adjusting collar which isdetachably mounted on the boring bar.

Boring bars are widely used in machining operations and comprise anelongated bar element with a cutting tip on the outer end thereof. Theother end of the bar is received in a support block which may, forexample, be a turret on a machine or some other suitable solidsupporting member having a bore for receiving the boring bar. The boringbaris clamped in the support therefor by clamp screws which engage thebar, or by forming a slot in the support and drawing the support uparound the boring bar.

In any case, fine axial adjustment of the boring bar is often necessaryand it is preferred for such adjustment to be made with accuracy,particularly where the machining operations being carried out arenumerically controlled, or under the control of a template or the like.When the machining operations are being carried out automatically,precise positioning of the cutting tip is necessary to insure that themachined work will be accurately sized.

It is also the case that where the machining operations are beingcarried out manually, fine adjustment of the position of the boring barmight be necessary and the adjusting collar according to the presentinvention is also of merit in these circumstances.

Having the foregoing in mind, a primary objective of the presentinvention is the provision of an arrangement for'effecting fine axialadjustment of a member such as a boring bar in a support therefor.

Another object is the provision of a relatively simple device adaptedfor being clamped to a boring bar and providing a finely adjustableabutment therefor for determining the projection of the boring bar froma support therefor.

A still further object is the provision of an adjusting device of thenature referred to which can be supplied with new manufacture or whichcan be used with existing boring bars as well.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent upon reference to the following detailedspecification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view partly in section showing a boring bar and asupport therefor and an adjusting collar according to the presentinvention mounted on the boring bar;

FIG. 2 is a view partly in section looking at the adjusting collar fromthe right side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing one of the rings making up theadjusting collar and forming the adjusting nut thereof;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the other one of the rings making up theadjusting collar and forming the clamping ring thereof;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through a modification;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view through another modification;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view through still another modification;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view looking in at the structure of FIG. 7 fromthe right side thereof;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view through a still furthermodification;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view partly broken away looking in at the FIG.9 arrangement from the right side;

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view through another modification; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary elevational view looking in at the FIG. 1 1arrangement from the right side thereof.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, anadjusting collar is provided having a first part adapted for being fixedly clamped to a boring bar. This part can, for example, be in the formof a split collar or the like. The first part of the adjusting collar isprovided with a fine thread, for example, a 40 pitch thread and mountedthereon is a rotatable ring-like second part.

Preferably, a detent or friction mechanism is interposed between thefirst and second parts and provides for retaining of the parts in anypredetermined relative adjusted position thereof.

In use, the adjusting collar is clamped to the boring bar in such aposition that it will substantially abut the face of a support member inwhich the boring bar is mounted. Rough axial adjustment of the boringbar can be effected before the adjusting collar is fixedly clampedthereto and after the rough adjustment is accomplished then the collaris clamped in place on the bar, rotation of the aforementioned secondpart of the adjusting collar can be utilized for effecting fine axialadjustment of the boring bar in itssupport.

When the boring bar is adjusted to the desired position, it is fixedlyclamped in the support and will remain in its adjusted position tillfurther adjustment is necessary, whereupon the boring bar is loosened inits support and the procedure described above is followed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail,in FIG. 1, a tool holder, such as a boring bar, is shown at 10 and thistool has one end supported in a block 12 and held therein as by clampbolts or the like.

According to the present invention, in order to obtain fine adjustmentof tool 10 in the axial direction, an adjusting collar is provided onthe boring bar comprising an inner ring 14 which is split and fixedlyclamped to the bar as by clamp screw 16 and having a reduced diameterthreaded portion 18 on which a ring-like nut 22 is threadedly mounted.Ring-like nut 22 abuttingly engages support block 12 and can provide forfine controlled axial adjustment of bar 10 merely by loosening theclamping arrangement which clamps the bar in block 12.

The thread interconnecting ring-like nut 22 and reduced diameter portion18 of clamp ring 14 is preferably a 40 pitch thread so that one completerevolution of ring-like nut 22 will provide for 0.025 of an inch axialadjustment of bar 10. It will be apparent that one or both of collar 14and ring-like nut 22 could bear indicia for indicating the adjustedposition of ringlike nut 22 so that the adjustment of the boring barcould be quite accurately determined.

Ring-like nut 22 is adapted for being held in adjusted position as by anylon plug 26 pressed radially inwardly against the threads on reduceddiameter portion 18 of collar 14 by a set screw 24.

As will best be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, clamp ring 14 is provided witha radial saw slot 20 extending inwardly thereof from dotted line 21clockwise to dotted line 23 so as to separate reduced diameter portion18 from the portion of clamp ring 14 through which clamp screw 16extends and which portion of the clamp ring is separated, or split, asindicated at 28. The provision of slot 20 will permit the portion of theclamp ring which bears clamp screw 16 to flex and thereby to grip thetool or bar without imposing deflectively loads on reduced diameterportion 18 that would interfere with the operation of ring-like nut 22.

FIGS. 2 and 4 will also show that ring-like nut 22 has a notch 30through which access can be had to the head of clamping screw 16. Theperiphery of ring-like nut 22 is preferably knurled so that it can bemanually adjusted but the nut can also be provided with one or morespanner wrench recesses 32 if so desired.

The arrangement of FIG. comprises a split tapered ring 40 embracingboring bar 42 and adapted for engaging a complementary tapered outerring 44 which has the external fine thread 46. A clamp nut 48 isthreaded on threads 46 and has a radial flange 50 engaging the largerend of split tapered ring 40 so as to force the split tapered ringinwardly into ring 44 which will cause contraction of ring 40 andgripping of bar 42 thereby.

The bar 42 may be of the type having a flat formed on one side at 52 androtation of ring 44 on the bar during adjustment of clamp nut 48 isprevented by a pin 54 carried by ring 44 and extending down toward thebar to within the range of the portion thereof which is cut off to formthe flat 52.

An adjusting nut 56 is provided which is threaded on the threads 46 andwhich engages support 58 for bar 42 to provide for adjustment thereof inthe hereinbefore described manner.

Both ring-like nut 22 of the first modification, and ring-like nut 56 ofthe modification of FIG. 5, advantageously are provided with a smoothraised axially projecting peripheral portion 60 for engagement with theadjacent support member. Plug 62, nylon, for example, and set screw 64bearing on the outer end thereof provide for clamping ring-like nut 56in adjusted positions thereof.

In the modification of FIG. 6, there is provided an inner collar member,or ring, 70 receivable on bar 72, said bar having a flat at 74cooperating with a pin 76 in inner ring 70 to hold the collar againstrotation on the bar. The portion of inner ring 70 adjacent supportmember 78 for the bar is provided with a fine thread on which is mountedthe adjusting nut 80 having mounted therein the nylon plug 82 and setscrew 84.

Attached to the portion of ring 70 on the side opposite support 78 and,by a reduced diameter region 86, is a chuck-like portion consisting ofsegments 88 which are separated from each other by axial slots. Segments88 at their outer ends are tapered as at 90 and are engaged by thecorrespondingly tapered flange 92 of a clamp nut 94 engaging the threadson the outer periphery of inner ring 70. Tightening of nut 94 will clampinner ring fixedly to the bar and rotation of ring-like nut will adjustthe bar axially relative to support 78.

In FIG. 7, the adjusting collar comprises the inner ring portion 100,peripherally threaded as at'102 for receiving a ring-like adjusting nut104.

At one side of ring there is a portion 106 of reduced axial dimension,formed by axial notches in the ring, and having a hole 108 for receivingthe shank 110 of a screw having an eccentric head 112 and forming a cam.At the outer end of shank 110 there is a retaining ring 1 14 thatretains in place on the shank the leg 116 of a clamp member whichextends axially away from support member 118 to the opposite side of thereduced thickness portion 106 of inner ring 108. On the side of innerring 100, which faces away from support 118, the clamp member has aradially inner elongated part 120 adapted for engaging the boring barand which is pressed toward the boring bar by rotation of the cam whichwill cause the eccentric head 112 thereof to press part 120 against theboring bar.

As will be seen in FIG. 8, the head 1 12 of the cam engages part 120 ofthe clamp member in about the middle thereof and will push this portionof the clamp member down toward the boring bar 122 in clampingengagement therewith. The boring bar in this case is provided with aflat 124 and the clamp member is shaped to engage the flat but couldalso engage a cylindrical boring bar.

In FIG. 9, the adjusting collar will be seen to comprise an inner ringpart externally threaded at 132 to receive the ring-like adjusting nut134. The inner ring 130 on one side is provided with a radial recess 136in which is loosely disposed a clamp member 138. This clamp member iscarried on the eccentric portion 140 of a rotatable cam 142, the head ofwhich is rotatably journaled in inner ring 130. Rotation of cam 142 willmove clamp member 138 toward and away from the surface of boring bar 144into and out of clamping engagement therewith. The clamping member orlocking plate 138 is retained on eccentric portion 140 of the cam by aretaining ring l46 while the head 142 of the cam is provided with agroove 148 adapted for receiving a roll pin 150 in ring 130 as will beseen in FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 also shows that the locking plate is so constructed at its lowerend that it can rest on flat 152 formed on one side of the boring barand also so that it can rest, equally well, on the periphery of acylindrical boring bar.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show a modification in which the adjusting collarcomprises an inner ring having external thread 162 on which is threadeda ring-like adjusting nut 164 that bears against support 166.

The inner ring 160 in FIGS. 11 and 12 is characterized in the provisiontherein of an eccentrically located circular saw cut extending axiallyinto the ring and forming a portion which extends along the boring bar172 while being free to flex toward and away from the bar. The flexingaction of portion 170 may be enhanced by the recesses, or notches, 174extending inwardly from the lateral limits of portion 170 at the backthereof. Flexing of part 170 is accomplished by the eccentric head 176of a rotary cam upon rotation thereof, said cam having a shank 178journaled in inner ring 160 and retained therein by a retaining ring180. FIG. 11 also shows that friction may be exerted between adjustingnut 164 and inner ring 160 by a wave washer 182 to retain the adjustingnut in its adjusted positions on the inner ring.

It has been mentioned that one or both of the adjusting nut and innerring can be calibrated and an example of this is shown in FIG. 10. InFIG. 10, the inner ring has an index mark at 190 and adjusting nut 134is provided with radial index marks 192. With the thread that connectsthe adjusting nut with the inner ring selected as 40 pitch, 25 indexmarks 192 are provided on the adjusting nut in uniformlycircumferentially spaced relation. Rotation of the ring-like adjustingnut an angular distance equal to the distance between two adjacent onesof the marks 192 thus provides for axial adjustment of the tool orboring bar a distance of 0.001 inches.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device for mountingon a bar-like tool holder and adapted foradjusting the tool holder in the axial direction on a support thereforwhich has a bore extending into one end for slidably receiving said toolholder and which support includes means forlocking said tool holder inaxially adjusted position in said bore, said device comprising; a ringslidably receivable on said tool holder, and having a first axialportion which is externally threaded and a second axial portion which isradially split at one circumferential point, said ring being adapted formounting on said bar with said first axial portion nearest said support,said first and second axial portions of said ring being interconnectedonly in a region of said second axial portion which is circumferentiallyspaced from said circumferential point, clamping means on said secondaxial portion of said ring operable to draw the second axial portion uptight on said holder, an internally threaded adjusting nut threaded onthe threads of said ring and adjustable on said ring into abuttingengagement with said one end of said support, and retaining meansoperatively engaging said ring and nut and operable for retaining saidnut in rotated positions on said ring.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which said ring and nut includeopposed radial annular faces, said retaining means is in the form of atleast one wave washer disposed between said opposed faces and infrictional engagement therewith.

3. A device according to claim 1 in which said clamping means comprisesa clamp screw joining the opposed ends of said ring at said split andoperable for drawing said opposed ends together to draw the ring uptight on said holder.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which said nut has a radial portionon the side facing said support and a peripheral axial portionsurrounding said ring.

1. A device for mounting on a bar-like tool holder and adapted foradjusting the tool holder in the axial direction on a support thereforwhich has a bore extending into one end for slidably receiving said toolholder and which support includes means for locking said tool holder inaxially adjusted position in said bore, said device comprising; a ringslidably receivable on said tool holder, and having a first axialportion which is externally threaded and a second axial portion which isradially split at one circumferential point, said ring being adapted formounting on said bar with said first axial portion nearest said support,said first and second axial portions of said ring being interconnectedonly in a region of said second axial portion which is circumferentiallyspaced from said circumferential point, clamping means on said secondaxial portion of said ring operable to draw the second axial portion uptight on said holder, an internally threaded adjusting nut threaded onthe threads of said ring and adjustable on said ring into abuttingengagement with said one end of said support, and reTaining meansoperatively engaging said ring and nut and operable for retaining saidnut in rotated positions on said ring.
 2. A device according to claim 1in which said ring and nut include opposed radial annular faces, saidretaining means is in the form of at least one wave washer disposedbetween said opposed faces and in frictional engagement therewith.
 3. Adevice according to claim 1 in which said clamping means comprises aclamp screw joining the opposed ends of said ring at said split andoperable for drawing said opposed ends together to draw the ring uptight on said holder.
 4. A device according to claim 1 in which said nuthas a radial portion on the side facing said support and a peripheralaxial portion surrounding said ring.